


The Proposal

by Tiitha



Category: Deponia (Video Games)
Genre: Bathing/Washing, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Romance, Sexual Content, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-15
Updated: 2018-05-15
Packaged: 2019-05-07 08:28:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14667234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tiitha/pseuds/Tiitha
Summary: While things are falling apart in Elysium, Cletus proposes to Goal while still attempting to assume the identity of Rufus.





	The Proposal

**Author's Note:**

> WARNING: This story contains BIG spoilers for Goodbye Deponia. Do not read it if you haven’t played it yet.

It was weeks since Elysium had been thrust into stalemate with the preservation of Deponia. Elysium could no longer rely on the Organon’s bomb towers that were meant to propel it through space, all thanks to the efforts of the man known as Rufus. Supplies in Elysium were quickly dwindling with an additional 11,000 Organon soldiers to feed. Argus was nowhere to be found and was assumed dead.

Elysium would not be able to sustain itself for long in such conditions. The days of living in such a paradise were numbered, as it was not meant to stay in orbit for much longer. There were rumors that that Organons were not only being sent back down to Deponia in small groups, but that many of them were being recycled into biomass… and even more horrible, fed back to the Organons on Elysium as sausage. If the rumors were true, Argus would be turning in his grave.

There were also rumors that, along with Argus, Rufus had fallen to his death and that Cletus was the only one of the three that survived, taking Rufus's place. Not many actually believed this, though. But for Cletus, the actual truth was a hell all on its own. Nobody seemed to actually miss Cletus as a person, but they welcomed him assuming the identity of Rufus.

Sitting in his room, Cletus sighed with exasperation. Pretending to be Rufus was getting more and more difficult as time passed. He did not enjoy lying, but most of all, he missed his own identity.

“I can’t possibly keep this up for much longer,” he grumbled to himself. He hated wearing dirty clothes and acting like an idiot. It was humiliating, but it was fortunate Goal was naïve enough to believe his charade for this long. He thought about telling Goal the truth more than once, but he feared it would crush her and she would hate him even more.

Reaching into his duster, he pulled a small object from one the pockets and stared at it wistfully--an engagement ring. Ulysses had promised Cletus that he would get to marry his daughter after he returned from Deponia, but his arranged engagement never fell through because of Rufus.

“Goal would never marry me after all this…” he muttered to himself. “She loved that idiot Rufus too much.” He fiddled with the ring, turning it over and admiring the gem's sparkling gleam.

A thought crossed his mind. “Then again… Am I not Rufus now?” He grinned to himself, his somber mood turning brighter. He had Rufus’s clothes and voice and shared his face, and he had managed to fool everyone else so far. Perhaps he could make this work after all.

Cletus had to act quickly. The longer he had to put up his Rufus act, the greater the chance that Goal or someone else could see through his façade. Putting it off too long would ruin his chance. The inspector took a deep breath and placed the ring back in his pocket.

First, he needed a romantic setting. Elysium had several restaurants, all of them high class with exquisite cuisine. He decided to start with his favorite restaurant. Cletus picked up the receiver and dialed for The Dainty Peacock.

A refined male voice answered, a service clone. “Hello, this is The Dainty Peacock. How may I be of service?”

“Yes, I’d like to make a reservation for two. Tonight would be ideal.”

“I’m terribly sorry, sir, but we’re all booked up for the night.”

“Well, how about tomorrow?”

“Mmm, we seem to be fully booked tomorrow, as well.”

Cletus groaned. “When then next available opening?”

“Let me check…. Mmm… It appears next Tuesday is open. Shall I reserve a seat for you, sir?”

“No, I can’t wait that long. Just forget it.” Cletus slammed the phone and let out another groan. Perhaps The Dainty Peacock was a little too high class for Rufus to manage anyway. He dialed the next restaurant on the list.

A chipper female voice answered the phone this time. “You’ve reached the Drifting Paradise restaurant, how can I help?”

“Hello, I’d to make a reservation for two, as soon as possible.”

“Welllll, we’re pretty full right now! Buuut, let me see... “

Cletus could feel a pit in forming his stomach. “Sometime this week would be great…”

“Sorry, but we’re all booked up this week! And the week after that, and the week after thaaaat…” The voice trailed off apologetically. “The Organon sure eat a lot!”

“Why are you letting the Organon make reservations at your restaurant anyway? They're clones!”

“You'll have to ask the Council of Elders about that one. I have no idea! We do seem to have quite a surplus of sausage lately though.”

“Uhhh… Nevermind then.”

“I’m sorry about that. Anything else I can do for you?”

“No, thanks…”

Cletus slammed the phone again. “Damn, these Organon! There has to be something available.”

He tried calling several more restaurants, but each and every one of them were booked. The only ones left were diners, and they were most likely packed with Organon as well. So much for a romantic dinner. He had to think of something else.

Cletus rubbed his head in thought. He noticed his hair was getting greasy. "Eugh, perhaps I should wash up."

It had been three whole days since he bathed. He normally showered each morning and had a bubble bath most evenings, but since he returned to Elysium, water was not as plentiful thanks to the Organon. Besides that, he also had to keep up a dirty appearance for his disguise. He absolutely loathed it. But if he was going to propose to Goal, he at least wanted to smell like he hadn't recently climbed out of a dumpster.

Taking a hot bubble bath was very tempting. It was still early in the evening and Goal was out at the Floating Garden with her friends, so there was time.

Waiting for the tub to fill, he hung up his duster, and tossed his boots and cap haphazardly on the floor, while the rest of his clothes were shoved into the washing machine. A clean pair of pink knickers were the only garment of his he still wore while in disguise, if he was feeling bold enough. There was no way in hell he could wear Rufus's underwear. He often threatened the room service robot with a screwdriver to stay away from his dirty clothes so Goal couldn't accidentally discover them.

Finally, the tub was full. The inspector let out a contented sigh as he sunk into the bubble bath. The hot water lapping around him was incredibly relaxing. He scrubbed himself with a loofah for a few minutes before he heard a knock on the entry room door.

"Balls, what now?!"

The door opened, followed by a voice, "Rufus? Are you in here?" It was Goal. Balls indeed.

"Err... I'm, uh, *ahem* in the bath!" His voice faltered as he changed his voice mid-sentence.

"I'm back a bit early. The garden was just too crowded this evening." Goal walked into the bathroom, put her hands on her hips and smirked at the young man in the tub surrounded by lavender scented candles. "A bubble bath? Really?"

Cletus shot Goal a smirk back. "Yeah, well, you know... Don't want to smell like rubbish, right? Heheh..."

"Of course not." Goal removed her Alice band and placed it on the washroom counter. She looked over at Cletus with a coy look on her face. "Is there room for two?"

Cletus swallowed with nervous anticipation. “O-of course!" He lowered his voice further, trying to sound seductive. "Hop on in.” Out of a gentleman's habit, he respectfully turned his gaze for a moment as she undressed.

Goal giggled at Cletus’s awkwardness and climbed gracefully into the tub. The tall woman's long legs crossed over to Cletus’s side of the tub on either side of him. He swallowed again, unable to help himself from staring at her breasts as they bobbed gently in the water.

“Phew, what a day!” Goal sighed, relieved to be in the bath. “It’s so crowded now with the Organon…” She dipped a bit further into the water. “They’re everywhere. I’m worried Elysium will be in even more danger of falling because of them. All that extra weight, you know?”

“Hummm, yeah…” Cletus murmered, still mesmerized by Goal’s breasts. His libido was taking over. He watched as she lifted a leg out of the water and let her foot dangle on the edge of the tub. Without looking away, Cletus slowly and discreetly grabbed the loofah, and began to scrub between his legs.

Not discreet enough apparently. Goal smirked again at him. “Do you need help with that?”

Goal sat up and leaned forward, taking the loofah from Cletus’s hand. As she gently began to stroke, a relieving look came across the young man’s face. His gaze floated upward and, with his mouth hanging slightly open, he let out a small, grateful whimper. Cletus looked like he was about to melt.

Goal chuckled and planted a kiss on Cletus's forehead, then continued to scrub with the loofah. The young man was blushing hotly, feeling abashed and nervous. It was beyond difficult for him to stay in character at this point. He bit his lower lip, trying to regain his composure.

Cletus gasped as he felt Goal use the loofah to grasp around his engorged manhood. He leaned back further into the tub, allowing her to thrust alongside it. “G-goal…” He whimpered pitifully, tightly holding onto the sides of the tub.

“Shhh, it's okay. You deserve some stress relief too,” she said softly. Cletus sighed and panted graciously as she continued to work the loofah up and down his shaft. “Does this feel alright?”

“Y-yes,” Cletus managed to squeak. Goal laughed again at the flustered man's response. It was just too adorable. Tiny, and adorable.

Cletus didn't want to come in the bath, especially not while Goal was also in it. But he just couldn't help himself, the loofah was just too damn satisfying. He braced himself against the bathtub, finding a comfortable position, then let out a final whimper that cracked into a squeak before relieving himself into the loofah. Goal cooed in approval at his display before removing the sponge and gave him a reassuring chest rub.

 _This is good,_ he thought, trying to shake off the fog of afterglow. _This could be my chance. What would Rufus do right now?_

Now was as good as time as any for him to seal the bond. Cletus leaned forward to embrace the tall lady. But the position was awkward, being in a bathtub. He slipped against the tub’s smooth surface and, splashing water everywhere in the process, ended up planting his face straight into Goal's breasts. He wanted to faint from embarrassment.

 _Bravo, idiot!_ he thought bitterly to himself. Goal couldn't help herself from bursting out into laughter as Cletus managed to upright himself. Maybe his Rufus act was going better than he planned.

"S-sorry about that," stuttered Cletus defensively, wiping bubbles from his face and hair.

"Just can't hold yourself back, can you?" Goal sat back with a bemused look on her face, wringing water from her ginger hair. Cletus blushed further and promptly returned to washing.

_What should I do? No romantic dinner... But, perhaps I could make this work. That moron wasn't the most tactful chap, after all._

He had to act now, there were no more opportunities to waste. The full presence of the Organon, the dwindling supply rations, the impending descent of Elysium... It wasn't going to get better anytime soon.

"Say, Goal... Um, I have something for you."

"Oh? Not an infectious disease, I hope,” she chortled. She still seemed to be in a good mood at least.

"Uh, n-no, just... Wait right here."

Cletus grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist as he stepped out of the tub. Noticing his backside for a brief second just before Cletus covered with his towel, Goal was trying her hardest not to laugh even more. She watched as he fished something out of the pockets of his overcoat hung on the door.

Clutching the ring in his hand, Cletus took a deep breath. He was ready. He walked over to the tub, got down on one knee and said it. "Goal... Will you marry me?"

"Rufus, I..." Goal stared agape at the ring presented before her. She looked the young man in the eyes, who was gazing back in anticipation. He was practically giving her puppy eyes.

"I... Yes. I will."

"R-really?!" Cletus slipped to his normal voice for second as his heart skipped a beat, but immediately corrected himself. "Er, I mean… Yes! That's great!" He slipped the ring onto Goal's finger then embraced her with a kiss. "I love you, Goal."

"I love you, too, dear." Goal leaned into Cletus's ear and with a whispered added, "But by the way... You should be more careful about hiding your birthmark."

There was an awkward moment of silence and tension.

“My what?”

Cletus's eyes widened, the realization dawning upon him.

_Oh.... Shit._

A sly, smug look crept across Goal's face. "What's wrong?" She obviously knew.

She knew this whole time and she let him believe she didn’t.

"I... You..." It was pointless disguising his voice now. He couldn't control it now anyway. "Do you mean to say..."

Goal threw her head back and cackled. Oh the poetic justice.

"Of course, I knew! What do you take me for, an idiot?"

"W-well, I thought..." Cletus could feel his throat choke up.

"Oh _please_ ,” she snorted. “You may look exactly like Rufus, but your acting leaves much to be desired."

“I had to put up that ridiculous impersonation for three weeks! You really put me on the spot in front of the Council of Elders. But I don’t understand… even though you knew, you still said yes.”

Goal stood up, grabbed a towel off the rack, and draped it around herself. “I did.”

“But... but why??”

Reaching over to offer Cletus a hand, she smiled warmly back at him. "It's because... I realized that I still love you."

"But… what about Rufus?”

Goal sighed and stepped out of the tub. “You have to understand, part of my heart still belongs to Rufus. If he hadn't jumped, things would be much different. I don't know exactly why he jumped, but I think it was because he couldn't live with himself knowing that he had to let you die in order for him to be happy. It would have made him like you. He gave his life for you to be with me, you know. Even though I’m still grieving over him, I can’t just throw that away."

Cletus scratched the back of his head in thought. “Really… Now I feel right awful for trying to trick you.”

“Actually,” said Goal, wrapping her arms around Cletus, “I find it kind of... sweet. Seeing you try so hard by humbling yourself, it made me realize that perhaps you aren’t as arrogant and selfish as I thought. I think it was a good lesson in humility for you.”

Cletus blushed again. “I suppose I deserved that. But even though I'm an egotistical prick, all I want is for you to be happy. Every time I tried to save Deponia, I did it for you. I would rather stop Deponia's destruction, even if it meant us never reaching Utopia, than to see you unhappy.”

“Ohhh, Cletus!”

Goal cooed and leaned in to kiss Cletus, their lips meeting in a passionate kiss. Scooping up her once-again-fiance, Goal carried Cletus back to their bed.

“Now, since you already know, does this mean I can cease this ridiculous charade?” asked Cletus, drying his hair with his towel.

“Only in the bedroom. You still need to keep up an appearance for the rest of Elysium. They still think you're Rufus, and it needs to stay that way.”

Cletus cursed in French under his breath. “Well… at least I can still be myself with you.” Living in Elysium could be more comfortable after all.


End file.
